Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-08-05
Tur p1cuuoND D1spArcH FRIDAY. AUGUST s. 1887.


| fnai decision of the question. Inc
Democrats Of Virginia in the State con-
yentions of 1888, 1884, and 1883 e1-
pressed their determination to maintain
that agreement.
KEEP FAITH WITH THE PEOPLE.
Can we now depart from our formal
pledges to the people Of the State AS
one party proposed and the other ac-
cepted the legislation referred to, can
either party honorably go back on It's
| plighted faith For my part, do not
see how this could now be properly
done. Whatever views you or may
have entertained on the subject L am
now satisfied that the State of Virginia.
really unable to assume more financiai
responsibility than is embodied IN wnat
| is known as the Riddleberger act. 'ir-
| oipia is poor, with the bulk OF her lands
| deprecated in value and cultivated
with small profit, with her laoorin9
classes insufliciently remunerated IN the
shape of wages. The State has also ot e,,
important obligations to meet. one
must maintain the civil list, provide
| the means essential for the education
of the peoples children, and make the
proper appropriations for the support
| of the various institutions OF pnonc
| nature, as well as take care OF the
MANNED and disabled soldiers OF the
| Commonwealth. To meet these de-
mands is the first necessity, and quite
as much as can be done under the
| ro 20 nf toxotiou
SAFETY OF THE PEOPLE SUPREME.
The safety of the people is the SUI
preme law, and when State has done
| all that is in her power to do, no more
| ought to be demanded at her hands.
It should also be remembered that the
Virginia which created the debt IS not
the Virginia OF to-day. The Federal
Government by force of arms, in the
execution of its purpose to maintain
| the Union of the States, permitted the
ACKNOWLEDGMENT of our original terri
tory and gave II separate organization
TO lie large area embraced within the
| limits of West Virginia by the estab-
| lishment Of that State. BY its act OF
emancipation it also destroyed other
large values which yielded a large fund
to the Treasury of the State. Virginia
is the only one of all the southern
States which has been divided through
the action Of the Federal Government
as consequence of the war among the
States. For that reason we have an
equity against the General Govern
ment for financial assistance IN the
| liquidation of our ante-belum III
debtedness which does not attach to
any other southern State.
CLAIM AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT.
The opinion is entertained that Vir-
rinia has q well-fonnded claim against
the United States Government under
the circumstances referred to for re-
Enumeration for the loss of her terri
tory. and that she ought to receive for
this loss of territory an equivalent IN
value of public lands. | regard this
suggestion as important and worthy OF
consideration on the part Of the people
of the State.
THE LEGISLATURE.
1.-The course of the Legislature at the
recent extra session in declining to
accept the terms submitted by the
English bondholders through their
commission is deserving of the cordial
endorsement Of our people. | think it
was a mistake on the part of our officials
to entertain any commission on the
subject. We had laid down our
ultimatum and could not, in
my Judgment, recede with propriety
from its terms. The whole mOyem mt
was, in my opinion, instigatedby iinan-
cial spectators to find out how far our
people could be induced to make fur
ther concessions in their favor. |
know there are people in our midst
who think that we ought to have
Welded to the demands of the commits
sion. We hear individuals express the
opinion that 4" the only way t. get rit
OF debt is to pay it. Such views,
! however, are visionary and lmpractl-
cable. How can debt be paid in the
absence ofthe necessary means required
for that purpose? Where is the money
tocome from? What property do We
hold whose assessed values would bear
any such increased taxation?
TOO LATE FOR NEW DEPARTURE.
Il is too late for Virginia to take any
new departure OR the State-debt ques-
ton. The Democratic party stands
committed to abide by the legislation
as embodied in what is known rs the
| Riddlcbergeract The state is unable to
! dOmore, and it should not do less. TRUST
that the Democratic party OF Virginia
will not permit itself to be perverted
from its course because OF the unreasOn-
ablcact OF thecOmmisslon OF English
| hondholders. It would he an unrea-
sonable and childish part to play to re-
fuse to pay simply because M unrea-
| .onalle creditor refuses to accept pay
ment OF his debt.
1t is also q great mistake to assume
that the Democratic party of Virginia
| proposes to make any contest with
the Supreme Court of the United States.
The truth is that the Supreme Court,
as | understand, has made two deci-
sions in conflict with each other in re-
gard to the c0nstitutionality OF our
legislation on the subject. That court
has gone ont of its way to set aside the
plain provision of an amendment to
| the Constitution as in conflict with an
other provision of that instrument
| The decision referred to WAS made
by divided court, with majority OF
only one Judge in favor of the decision.
The appointment of q new Judge to fill
the vacancy which now exists would
put the question at sea again. If our
people will only pay their currenttaxes
in money and not in coupons, there IS
not the slightest necessity for any con-
fct with the Supreme Cont. Surely
the patriotism of our citizens ought to
be equal to the requirements Of the oc-
casion. If their patriotism is thus
manifested the trouble will soon settle
itself, and we will have really nothing
TO fear in the future.
/ trust, gentlemen, in conclusion,
that your proceedings will be characte-
rized by calm and careful considera-
ton of all questions which may be Of
iered for your deliberations, and
that a proper forbearance viii be
manifested for any slight differ
ences of sentiment which may exist
among ourselves. | am happy to be
able to congratulate the Democratic
party OF the State that so large repre-